WEAU

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WEAU-TV is an NBC television affiliate based in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, which serves much of western Wisconsin. Its transmitter is located in Fairchild, Wisconsin.[1]

WEAU-TV uses the slogan "TV-13: Western Wisconsin's First Choice For News, Weather And Sports".

History

WEAU signed on the air on December 17th, 1953 as an NBC affiliate. The station initially broadcast from a tower immediately behind the TV station's building at 1907 South Hastings Way in Eau Claire. A new tower, approximately-1,000 ft. tall, was built in the same location in 1956, before an approximately-2,000 ft. tower was constructed near Fairchild, WI, in 1966. The 1,000 ft. tower in Eau Claire is now topped by the digital transmitter for WQOW.

One of the first well-known personalities on WEAU was "Sheriff Bob" Dawson, who hosted a kids show from the 1950's-1960's.

In the 1960's, WEAU-TV purchased a radio station from Chippewa Falls, WAXX-AM 1150, then started an FM station, WEAU-FM, initially at 100.7 on the FM dial, and later moved to 104.5. WAXX-AM switched to a country format in the mid-60's, and eventually, WEAU-FM simulcast WAXX-AM's signal. By the mid-70's, WEAU-FM's call letters were switched to WAXX-FM, and in 1978, the country format was moved exclusively to WAXX-FM. WAXX-AM's call letters were switched to WAYY-AM. The WEAU-TV news, weather & agriculture departments were used for reports on WAXX-FM & WAYY-AM. Meanwhile, WAXX-FM DJ Tim Wilson provided voiceovers on WEAU-TV's on-air legal ID.

WEAU constructed a weather radar in 1979, the first TV station in the La Crosse/Eau Claire market with their own radar. The radar received a graphics upgrade in 1998 and 2006. The station adopted their news ID "NewsCenter 13" around 1979/80. WEAU premiered their 5pm newscast on September 14, 1981, with Geoff Welch as anchor. The first telecast featured a report from then-WEAU reporter Scott Cohn, who is now a correspondent for CNBC. A truck to provide live remote broadcasts came into use in 1983.

WAXX-FM/WAYY-AM were sold to the new Central Communications in 1984, and in 1985, the two stations moved out of the WEAU building to a new facility behind the back parking lot of WEAU. Despite being under separate ownership, WEAU continued to provide weather services for WAXX & WAYY, as well as additional stations purchased by Central Communications (WIAL-FM, WECL-FM, WDRK-FM & WEAQ-AM), until December 31, 2001. WEAU resumed weather services to those same six stations, now under the ownership of Maverick Media, on September 11, 2006.

A new news set and music package debuted in August, 1984, and WEAU first used weeknight co-anchors (Jim Mertens & Michelle Magadance) in June, 1986. Another new news set & music package debuted in April, 1988. WEAU was met with tragedy in September, 1991, when primetime news anchor Cindy Schott died unexpectedly. The death was later the subject of a story by Dateline NBC. Five years later, in November, 1996, long-time morning meteorologist Jim Riggs died of cancer.

WEAU changed their news music in 1992, their logo in the summer of 1994, and later changed their set in March, 1997. WEAU had returned to a solo anchor for the 6pm & 10pm news (John Froyd) following the death of Cindy Schott, but returned to a co-anchor format for the 10pm news (Pat Kreitlow & Judy Clark) in August, 1998, upon Froyd's retirement. New news music was also debuted at that time. Another new logo, along with a slight change to the background of the news set, was unveiled in January, 2001.

Technology was the highlight of the following decade, as WEAU's digital channel, WEAU-DT 13.1, signed-on April 30, 2002, with the digital transmitter located at the top of the WEAU Tower, in Fairchild, WI. Meanwhile, SkyCam 13, located on a small mast atop WEAU's building, debuted in March, 2003. New music started in the summer of 2002, and in September, 2004, the station received a new news set which they are still using today, with background & graphics modification in August, 2006. A WEAU-produced 9pm newscast for WLAX/WEUX premiered on August 28, 2006, known as "Fox News At 9," and using WEAU personnel for the anchor slots. The newscast also airs on WEAU-DT 13.2. 24/7 Weather, a local weather channel featuring WEAU meteorologists, debuted on WEAU-DT 13.2 on October 2, 2006.

Logo Gallery

News Center 13 News Team

News Anchors

SkyWarn 13 Storm Team

TV-13 Sports Team

Reporters

Former On-Air Personalities:

Notables

  • Scott Cohn: CNBC Senior Correspondent; WEAU Reporter: early 1980s
  • Rob Kreibich: Wisconsin Assemblyman, 93rd District (R-Eau Claire), 1993-2007 (defeated in 2006); WEAU Reporter: late 1980s-early 1990s
  • Craig Coshun: FSN North Broadcaster/Big Ten Play-By-Play Announcer; WEAU Reporter/Anchor: 1988-90
  • Pat Kreitlow: Wisconsin State Senator-elect, 23rd District (D-Chippewa Falls); WEAU Anchor/Reporter: mid 1990s-2005

Anchors

  • Barry Robinson: 1950s-1970s
  • Mike Rindo: 1978-86, 1989-91
  • Scott Cohn: (Weekend Anchor 1981, 5pm Anchor 1982)
  • Jim Mertens: early 1980s-1989 (Weeknight Co-Anchor 1986-89)
  • Michelle Magadance: 1983-89 (Weeknight Co-Anchor 1986-89)
  • Cindy Schott: 1985-1991 (Weeknight Co-Anchor 1989-91) (died September, 1991)
  • John Froyd: 1991-98
  • Matt Lechner: late 1990s-2004 (Weekend Anchor 1999-2004)

Weather

Sports

  • Jim Crandall: late 1960s-1985 (Sports Director 1970s-1985)
  • Dave Carlson: early 1980s-2000 ("TV-13 Outdoors" host 1982-2000)
  • Rick Foy: early 1980s-1988 (Sports Director 1985-88)
  • Bob Brainerd: 1984-92 (Sports Director 1988-92)
  • Rod Ketter: 1990-97 (Sports Director 1992-97)

See also

External links

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